Ecolab (ECL) Return on Capital Employed (2009 - 2025)
Ecolab (ECL) reported Return on Capital Employed of 14.59% for Q4 2025, down 147.0% on a YoY basis from 31.04% in Q4 2024, and up 9.8% quarter-over-quarter from 13.29% in Q3 2025.
Ecolab (ECL) Return on Capital Employed (2009 - 2025) Analysis & Trends
Ecolab has reported Return on Capital Employed for 17 years, with the latest figure at 14.59% in Q4 2025.
- For the quarter ending Q4 2025, Return on Capital Employed fell 147.0% year-over-year to 14.59%; the trailing twelve-month figure through Dec 2025 stood at 14.59% (down 147.0% YoY), and the FY2025 full-year result was 15.2%, down 97.0% from the prior year.
- Return on Capital Employed for Q4 2025 stood at 14.59%, up from 13.29% in the prior quarter.
- The five-year high for Return on Capital Employed was 16.46% in Q3 2024, with the low at 8.6% in Q1 2021.
- Historically, Return on Capital Employed has averaged 11.74% across 5 years, with a median of 10.59% in 2023.
- Annual changes were most pronounced in 2024 — Return on Capital Employed surged 589 bps — and 2025, when it tumbled 317 bps.
- Ecolab's Return on Capital Employed stood at 9.98% in 2021, then retreated by 8 bps to 9.17% in 2022, then rose by 24 bps to 11.38% in 2023, then soared by 41 bps to 16.06% in 2024, then slipped by 9 bps to 14.59% in 2025.
- The last three Return on Capital Employed figures came in at 14.59% (Q4 2025), 13.29% (Q3 2025), and 15.95% (Q2 2025), per Business Quant data.
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Peer Comparison
| # | Company | Market Cap | Enterprise Value | Gross Profit (Qtr) | ROCE (Qtr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Linde | 237.64 Bn | 233.69 Bn | 4.26 Bn | 12.89% |
| 2 | Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile | 127.66 Bn | 124.93 Bn | 778.60 Mn | 16.08% |
| 3 | Sherwin Williams | 78.87 Bn | 78.66 Bn | 2.78 Bn | 20.78% |
| 4 | Ecolab | 76.59 Bn | 75.97 Bn | 1.85 Bn | 14.59% |
| 5 | Air Products & Chemicals | 62.39 Bn | 63.94 Bn | 987.40 Mn | 6.05% |
| 6 | Ppg Industries | 26.44 Bn | 24.97 Bn | 1.66 Bn | 13.59% |
| 7 | International Flavors & Fragrances | 19.67 Bn | 19.14 Bn | 1.02 Bn | 3.66% |
| 8 | DuPont de Nemours | 19.57 Bn | 19.68 Bn | 602.00 Mn | 7.03% |
| 9 | LyondellBasell Industries | 19.28 Bn | 19.39 Bn | 701.00 Mn | -1.10% |
| 10 | Albemarle | 18.85 Bn | 18.02 Bn | 500.97 Mn | 6.09% |
Historic Data
Download Data| Date | Value |
|---|---|
| Dec 31, 2025 | 14.59% |
| Sep 30, 2025 | 13.29% |
| Jun 30, 2025 | 15.95% |
| Mar 31, 2025 | 15.98% |
| Dec 31, 2024 | 16.06% |
| Sep 30, 2024 | 16.46% |
| Jun 30, 2024 | 13.29% |
| Mar 31, 2024 | 12.08% |
| Dec 31, 2023 | 11.38% |
| Sep 30, 2023 | 10.56% |
| Jun 30, 2023 | 10.18% |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 9.84% |
| Dec 31, 2022 | 9.17% |
| Sep 30, 2022 | 8.95% |
| Jun 30, 2022 | 8.86% |
| Mar 31, 2022 | 8.89% |
| Dec 31, 2021 | 9.98% |
| Sep 30, 2021 | 10.61% |
| Jun 30, 2021 | 10.15% |
| Mar 31, 2021 | 8.60% |